Redeveloping the “Y” Axis!

In Brokenness, Christian Leadership, Contemplation, Formation, Psalms, Spiritual Formation, Transformation by Bizgainey2 Comments

If you remember, I finished my last post (here) with the assertion that the church is in position to restore what I call a y-axis reality.  Borrowing the term “x-y axis,” we first learned in geometry.

The x-axis is, of course, the horizontal (time-bound/natural) plane.  For our purposes, the x-axis represents a life lived and experienced on a horizontal playing field. On this horizontal playing field, all that you see is all that there is.

No reason to look up or out.

There is nothing, or no one, there.…
Read the rest

Becoming “Y” Axis People!

In Formation, Social Imaginary, Soul-Care by Bizgainey2 Comments

Since the launch of Disruptus (2014), I’ve written primarily about three overarching topics/ideas:

Spiritual formation.  Articles concerning the recovery of its place of primacy within the modern church.  Particularly as spiritual formation and soul-care shapes and molds spiritual leadership and congregational life. Pornography, Addiction, Recovery. Recovery issues related to compulsive sexual disorders that plague our world and are directly connected to the mass production of pornography.  The porn industry, with global revenue in the multi-trillions of dollars, is arguably the largest industry in the world that commodifies the human body…
Read the rest

A Memorial Day “Number” to Remember: 63,922

In Addictions, Freedom, Freedom from Porn, Pastoral Ministry, Pornography, Sex and Violence by BizgaineyLeave a Comment

This Monday, the 27th of May, is Memorial Day.

It’s the day our country sets apart as a day to remember all the men and women who have died while serving in the United States military.  Nearly every city in our country will offer some service or “moment” this coming Monday.

We are encouraged to pause, reflect, and – most importantly – remember the high cost of freedom.  Indeed, many Sunday morning houses of worship will join the chorus calling us to remember!

As you prepare for this day, I’d …
Read the rest

Five Reasons Why I Am a Man Against Porn

In Addictions, Consumption, Habits, Loneliness, Male and Female Relationships and Roles in Marriage, Marriage, Men Against Porn, Parenting, Pornography by Bizgainey1 Comment

Five Reasons Why I Am A Man Against Porn

I am an outspoken critic of porn.  I am also a proponent of putting an end to the global industry it has spawned.

My goal in all of this, however, is to offer hope and encouragement to men and women who struggle with compulsive sexual behavior disorders.

Most, if not all of these disorders, are connected to porn consumption and/or addiction!

This “work” against porn, in support of love (yes, the two are mutually exclusive) began over ten years ago.

My …
Read the rest

What You Need to Know Before You Join a Recovery Group

In Addictions, Formation, Habits, Men Against Porn, Pornography, Social Media, Technology by Bizgainey1 Comment

Have you ever asked yourself, “What will it take to beat this addiction?”  I sure did.

Many times.

Over.

And.

Over.

And.

Over.

Again.

My wife asked it of me about a thousand times more than I asked it of myself.

Here’s the deal: If you’re asking, at least you are acknowledging that you have a problem!

Many Men Never Ask the Question: “What will it take?”

Most men – many men – never get that far.

While I can’t tell you every step you’re going to need to take, …
Read the rest

Want to Recover From Porn Addiction? Discover the Power of Habit Formation!!

In Addictions, Christianity, Consumption, Contemplation, Culture, Formation, Pornography, Zombies by BizgaineyLeave a Comment

If you want to recover from your porn addiction, you will need to discover the power of habit formation!

Discovering and developing new habits are central to your freedom!

Why?

Many reasons, but one is that the porn habit you are now starving is going to get hungry.

When the addiction or compulsion gets hungry, it’s going to want you to feed it – as you have done so many times in the past.  That’s why the closer you are to your addiction, the more fiercely you have to fight …
Read the rest

Can I Be Clean Without a Full Confession?

In Addictions, Consumption, Culture, Freedom, Freedom from Porn, Pornography, Sex and Violence by BizgaineyLeave a Comment

When considering addiction, particularly porn, I don’t believe you can ever be free unless you fully confess!

Therefore, I often tell men who come to me for help that the most crucial step in your recovery and restoration process is the step of confession.

There is simply no way you will ever be whole if you don’t fully confess.

I don’t care what the addiction or compulsion is:

Porn or sexual addiction. Alcohol. Anger (yes, that can be an addiction). The internet or social media. Recreational or prescription drugs. Work,…
Read the rest

How do I “Unsee” All Those Pornographic Images?

In Brokenness, Consumption, Formation, Freedom, Freedom from Porn, Habits, Pornography, Sex and Violence, Technology by BizgaineyLeave a Comment

Have you ever wondered how to unsee all those pornographic images you’ve spent years viewing?

If so, you’re not alone.  In fact, that’s a common – and often misunderstood – part of the journey.  Especially when you want to make the transition from a life saturated by free-porn to a life that’s finally porn-free!

Once you decide it’s time to live a porn-free life, you begin to notice how hard it is to get all those images out of your head.

Many of us find ourselves fighting images every moment …
Read the rest

Why I Can’t Stop Writing About Porn and How I Hope to Help You Break Free!

In Addictions, Consumption, Formation, Pornography, Sex and Violence by BizgaineyLeave a Comment

I want to pick up where I left off many weeks ago: writing about the church – specifically, the church as a new kind of community.

A few weeks ago, however, I realized that I have to begin writing about pornography, again.

Honestly, I don’t want to write about pornography.  I wish it (porn, I mean) simply weren’t a “thing.”

But it is a “thing.”  It’s a terribly toxic “thing” that I suspect is worse than you know.

Solicitation and Sex-Trafficking in Our Backyard

In our small community, the authorities …
Read the rest

What Makes News Good?

In Christianity, Church, Church Leadership, Formation, Funeral Gospel, Gospel by BizgaineyLeave a Comment

What makes news good news?

This is the question N.T. Wright tackles in his excellent book, Simply Good News: Why the Gospel is News and What Makes it Good.

His answer is that news, or news that is especially good news, is an announcement.

It’s an announcement about something good that has already happened (often unexpectedly).  Because of this good thing that’s happened, things are now changed and things are changing!

We live in a news-saturated world.  Much of is often not good news.

So, what makes news …
Read the rest